Few cancers can spread from the mother to the foetus like malignant melanoma, small cell lung cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia.
source: Canadian Cancer Society
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Key facts - Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The "yellow" in the name refers to the jaundice that affects some patients.
Up to 50% of severely affected persons without treatment will die from yellow fever.
According to the recent analysis, there are an estimated 84 000–170 000 cases and up to 60 000 deaths due to yellow fever per year.
The virus is endemic in tropical areas of Africa and Latin America, with a combined population of over 900 million people.
The number of yellow fever cases has been decreasing over the past 10 years since the launch of Yellow Fever Initiative in 2006.
There is no specific treatment for yellow fever. Treatment is symptomatic, aimed at reducing the symptoms for the comfort of the patient.
Vaccination is the most important preventive measure against yellow fever. The vaccine is safe, affordable, and highly effective. A single dose of yellow fever vaccine is sufficient to confer sustained immunity and life-long protection against yellow fever disease and a booster dose of yellow fever vaccine is not needed. The vaccine provides effective immunity within 30 days for 99% of persons vaccinated.
Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC)
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacterium that is commonly found in the gut of humans and warm-blooded animals. Most strains of E. coli are harmless. Some strains however, such as enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), can cause severe foodborne disease. It is transmitted to humans primarily through consumption of contaminated foods, such as raw or undercooked ground meat products, raw milk and contaminated raw vegetables and sprouts. Its significance as a public health problem was recognized in 1982, following an outbreak in the United States of America.
EHEC produces toxins, known as verotoxins or Shiga-like toxins because of their similarity to the toxins produced by Shigella dysenteriae. EHEC can grow in temperatures ranging from 7°C to 50°C, with an optimum temperature of 37°C. Some EHEC can grow in acidic foods, down to a pH of 4.4, and in foods with a minimum water activity (Aw) of 0.95.
Ustekinumab
Ustekinumab (INN, experimental name CNTO 1275, proprietary commercial name Stelara, Centocor) is a human monoclonal antibody. It is directed against interleukin 12 and interleukin 23, naturally occurring proteins that regulate the immune system and immune-mediated inflammatory disorders. Since 2009, Ustekinumab is approved in Canada, Europe and the United States to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. On September 24, 2013, the FDA approved the use of ustekinumab for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis.
FILGOTINIB (GLPG0634)
Filgotinib (GLPG0634), by the Belgian biotech company Galápagos NV, is a drug which is currently under investigation for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Crohn's disease.
Filgotinib is a Janus kinase inhibitor with selectivity for subtype JAK1 of this enzyme. It is considered a promising agent as it inhibits JAK1 selectively. Less selective JAK inhibitors (e.g. tofacitinib) are already being marketed. They show long-term efficacy in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. However, their lack of selectivity leads to dose-limiting side effects. It is thought that inhibition of all JAK isoenzymes is beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis. However, pan-JAK inhibition might also lead to unwanted side effects that might not outweigh its benefits. This is the rationale for the development of newer and more selective inhibitors like filgotinib.
The signal transmission of large numbers of proinflammatory cytokines is dependent on JAK1. Inhibition of JAK2 may also contribute to the efficacy against RA. Nonetheless it is thought that JAK2 inhibition might lead to anemia and thrombopenia by interference with erythropoietin and thrombopoietin and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Therefore one might prefer to choose a more selective JAK1 inhibitor as a primary therapeutic option. Filgotinib exerts a 30-fold selectivity for JAK1 compared to JAK2. It is however still to be seen to what extent JAK2 inhibition should be avoided.
Lassa fever - facts and symptoms
Though first described in the 1950s, the virus causing Lassa disease was not identified until 1969. The virus is a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the virus family Arenaviridae.
About 80% of people who become infected with Lassa virus have no symptoms. 1 in 5 infections result in severe disease, where the virus affects several organs such as the liver, spleen and kidneys.
Lassa fever is a zoonotic disease, meaning that humans become infected from contact with infected animals. The animal reservoir, or host, of Lassa virus is a rodent of the genus Mastomys, commonly known as the "multimammate rat." Mastomys rats infected with Lassa virus do not become ill, but they can shed the virus in their urine and faeces.
Because the clinical course of the disease is so variable, detection of the disease in affected patients has been difficult. When presence of the disease is confirmed in a community, however, prompt isolation of affected patients, good infection prevention and control practices, and rigorous contact tracing can stop outbreaks.
Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin (where it was diagnosed for the first time in November 2014), Ghana (diagnosed for the first time in October 2011), Guinea, Liberia, Mali (diagnosed for the first time in February 2009), Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well.
SYMPTOMS
The incubation period of Lassa fever ranges from 6–21 days. The onset of the disease, when it is symptomatic, is usually gradual, starting with fever, general weakness, and malaise. After a few days, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough, and abdominal pain may follow. In severe cases facial swelling, fluid in the lung cavity, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or gastrointestinal tract and low blood pressure may develop.
Protein may be noted in the urine. Shock, seizures, tremor, disorientation, and coma may be seen in the later stages. Deafness occurs in 25% of patients who survive the disease. In half of these cases, hearing returns partially after 1–3 months. Transient hair loss and gait disturbance may occur during recovery.
Death usually occurs within 14 days of onset in fatal cases. The disease is especially severe late in pregnancy, with maternal death and/or fetal loss occurring in more than 80% of cases during the third trimester.
EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE - Prevention and control
Good outbreak control relies on applying a package of interventions, namely case management, surveillance and contact tracing, a good laboratory service, safe burials and social mobilisation. Community engagement is key to successfully controlling outbreaks. Raising awareness of risk factors for Ebola infection and protective measures that individuals can take is an effective way to reduce human transmission. Risk reduction messaging should focus on several factors:
Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission from contact with infected fruit bats or monkeys/apes and the consumption of their raw meat. Animals should be handled with gloves and other appropriate protective clothing. Animal products (blood and meat) should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission from direct or close contact with people with Ebola symptoms, particularly with their bodily fluids. Gloves and appropriate personal protective equipment should be worn when taking care of ill patients at home. Regular hand washing is required after visiting patients in hospital, as well as after taking care of patients at home.
Reducing the risk of possible sexual transmission, based on further analysis of ongoing research and consideration by the WHO Advisory Group on the Ebola Virus Disease Response, WHO recommends that male survivors of Ebola virus disease practice safe sex and hygiene for 12 months from onset of symptoms or until their semen tests negative twice for Ebola virus. Contact with body fluids should be avoided and washing with soap and water is recommended. WHO does not recommend isolation of male or female convalescent patients whose blood has been tested negative for Ebola virus.
Outbreak containment measures, including prompt and safe burial of the dead, identifying people who may have been in contact with someone infected with Ebola and monitoring their health for 21 days, the importance of separating the healthy from the sick to prevent further spread, and the importance of good hygiene and maintaining a clean environment.
Causes of Asthma
The fundamental causes of asthma are not completely understood. The strongest risk factors for developing asthma are a combination of genetic predisposition with environmental exposure to inhaled substances and particles that may provoke allergic reactions or irritate the airways, such as:
1. indoor allergens (for example, house dust mites in bedding, carpets and stuffed furniture, pollution and pet dander)
2. outdoor allergens (such as pollens and moulds)
3. tobacco smoke
4. chemical irritants in the workplace
5. air pollution.
Other triggers can include cold air, extreme emotional arousal such as anger or fear, and physical exercise. Even certain medications can trigger asthma: aspirin and other non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, and beta-blockers (which are used to treat high blood pressure, heart conditions and migraine).
Urbanization has been associated with an increase in asthma. But the exact nature of this relationship is unclear.
Dengue Fever - key facts
1. Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection.
2. The infection causes flu-like illness, and occasionally develops into a potentially lethal complication called severe dengue.
3. The global incidence of dengue has grown dramatically in recent decades.
4. About half of the world's population is now at risk.
5. Dengue is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas.
6. Severe dengue is a leading cause of serious illness and death among children in some Asian and Latin American countries.
7. There is no specific treatment for dengue/ severe dengue, but early detection and access to proper medical care lowers fatality rates below 1%.
8. Dengue prevention and control solely depends on effective vector control measures.
Adalimumab
Adalimumab ( trade names Humira and Exemptia) is a medication used for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, moderate to severe chronic psoriasis, moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. In rheumatoid arthritis, adalimumab has a response rate similar to methotrexate, and in combination nearly doubles the response rate of methotrexate alone.
Because TNFα is part of the immune system that protects the body from infection, treatment with adalimumab may increase the risk of infections. It is a TNF inhibiting anti-inflammatory biologic medication. Adalimumab binds to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα). TNFα normally binds to TNFα receptors, which leads to the inflammatory response of autoimmune diseases. By binding to TNFα, adalimumab reduces this inflammatory response. Adalimumab was the first fully human monoclonal antibody drug approved by the FDA.
Facts - Sexually Transmitted Infections
1. More than 1 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired every day worldwide.
2. Each year, there are an estimated 357 million new infections with 1 of 4 STIs: chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and trichomoniasis.
3. More than 500 million people are estimated to have genital infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV).
4. More than 290 million women have a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
5. The majority of STIs have no symptoms or only mild symptoms that may not be recognized as an STI.
6. STIs such as HSV type 2 and syphilis can increase the risk of HIV acquisition.
7. In some cases, STIs can have serious reproductive health consequences beyond the immediate impact of the infection itself (e.g., infertility or mother-to-child transmission).
8. Drug resistance, especially for gonorrhoea, is a major threat to reducing the impact of STIs worldwide.
Flu (influenza) vaccine
Safe and effective vaccines are available for influenza and have been used for more than 60 years. Among healthy adults, influenza vaccine can provide reasonable protection. However among the elderly, influenza vaccine may be less effective in preventing illness but may reduce severity of disease and incidence of complications and deaths.
Vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of serious influenza complications, and for people who live with or care for high risk individuals.
WHO recommends annual vaccination for:
1.pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy
2.children aged 6 months to 5 years
3.elderly individuals (≥65 years of age)
4.individuals with chronic medical conditions
5.health-care workers.
Influenza vaccination is most effective when circulating viruses are well-matched with vaccine viruses. Influenza viruses are constantly changing, and the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) – a partnership of National Influenza Centres around the world –monitors the influenza viruses circulating in humans.
For many years WHO has updated its recommendation on vaccine composition biannually that targets the 3 (trivalent) most representative virus types in circulation (two subtypes of influenza A viruses and one B virus). Starting with the 2013-2014 northern hemisphere influenza season, quadrivalent vaccine composition has been recommended with a second influenza B virus in addition to the viruses in the conventional trivalent vaccines. Quadrivalent influenza vaccines are expected to provide wider protection against influenza B virus infections.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) - key facts
1. 1 in 160 children has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
2.ASD begin in childhood but tend to persist into adolescence and adulthood.
3.While some people with ASD are able to live independent and productive lives, others have severe disabilities and require life-long care and support.
4.Evidence-based psychosocial interventions, such as behavioural treatment, can reduce difficulties in communication and social behaviour, with a positive impact on wellbeing and quality of life.
5.Interventions targeting people with ASD need to be accompanied by broader actions for making physical, social and attitudinal environments more accessible, inclusive and supportive.
6.Worldwide, people with ASD are often subject to stigma, discrimination and human rights violations. Globally, access to services and support for people with ASD is inadequate.
von Meyenburg complex
von Meyenburg complex - bile duct hamartoma or biliary hamartoma, is a benign tumour like malformation of the liver. They are classically associated with polycystic liver disease as may be seen in the context of polycystic kidney and represent a malformation of the liver plate. In C T scan , bile duct hamartomas appear as small, well-defined hypo- or isoattenuating masses with little or no enhancement after contrast administration. At MRI , they appear hypointense on T1-weighted images, iso- or slightly hyperintense on T2-weighted images, and hypointense after administration of gadolinium based contrast-agent. On imaging, multiple hamartomas may look similar to metastases or microabscesses.
Wikipedia
ZIKA VIRUS - 5 key facts
1.Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes.
2.People with Zika virus disease usually have symptoms that can include mild fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache.
These symptoms normally last for 2-7 days.
3.There is no specific treatment or vaccine currently available.
4.The best form of prevention is protection against mosquito bites.
5.The virus is known to circulate in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific.
Cystosarcoma phyllodes, Cystosarcoma phylloides, Phylloides tumor
Phyllodes tumors (from Greek : phullon leaf), also cystosarcoma phyllodes, cystosarcoma phylloides and phylloides tumor, are typically large, fast-growing masses that form from the periductal stromal cells of the breast. They account for less than 1% of all breast neoplasms.
.Phyllodes tumors are a fibroepothelial tumour composed of an epithelial and a cellular stromal component. They may be considered benign , borderline, or malignant depending on histologic features including stromal cellularity, infiltration at the tumor's edge, and mitotic activity. All forms of phyllodes tumors are regarded as having malignant potential. A large series from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Centre reported the incidence of each as benign (58%), borderline (12%), and malignant (30%). Malignant phyllodes tumours behave like sarcomas and can develop blood-borne metastases. Approximately 10% of patients with phyllodes tumours develop distant metastases and this can go up to 20% in patients with histologically malignant tumours. The commonest sites for distant metastases are the lung, bone, and abdominal viscera. Rare sites of metastasis like to parotid region have also been described.
BORCHARDT'S TRIAD
Seen in Gastric Volvulus
1.Acute epigastric pain
2.Violent ineffective vomiting
3.Inability to pass a nasogastric tube
Gastric volvulus or volvulus of stomach is a twisting of all or part of the stomach by more than 180 degrees with obstruction of the flow of material through the stomach, variable loss of blood supply and possible tissue death. The twisting can occur around the long axis of the stomach: this is called organoaxial or around the axis perpendicular to this, called mesenteroaxial. Obstruction is more likely in organoaxial twisting than with mesenteroaxial while the latter is more associated with ischemia . About one third of the cases are associated with a hiatus hernia. Treatment is surgical.
Helicobacter pylori
Helicobacter pylori, previously Campylobacter pylori, is a gram negative, microaerophilic bacterium found usually in the stomach. It was identified in 1982 by Australian scientists Barry Marshall and Robin Warren, who found that it was present in a person with chronic gastritis and gastric ulcers, conditions not previously believed to have a microbial cause. It is also linked to the development of duodenal ulcers and stomach cancer. However, over 80% of individuals infected with the bacterium are asymptomatic, and it may play an important role in the natural stomach ecology.
More than 50% of the world's population harbor H. pylori in their upper gastrointestinal tract. Infection is more prevalent in developing countries, and incidence is decreasing in Western countries. H. pylori'shelical shape (from which the genus name is derived) is thought to have evolved to penetrate the mucoid lining of the stomach.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicobacter_pylori?wprov=sfla1
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